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Thursday, February 21, 2008

It's cold gin time again!

I mentioned this as a joke last Monday, saying that "I like music, but I can listen to Kiss too". The truth is that I've been a Kiss fan since around 1978 when I heard "Hotter than hell" for the first time, and then "Alive II". I claim to have every single Kiss record (with the exception of Symphony), and I also have every record that Peter Criss, Ace Frehley and even Bruce Kulick have in their post-Kiss era. Bruce and his band (Union) even autographed my "Union live at the Galaxy" when they played in Argentina on December 11th, 1999.

That being said, I had a favourite Kiss member, like every kid. Mine was Ace Frehley, the space man. I love the way he plays guitar, and his solo record was my favourite by far (I still listen to it regularly). Living in Argentina, I never thought I would get to see them play, especially after they had to cancel their show in 1982 due to the threats of some idiots that claimed they were going to blow up the Boca Juniors stadium. I even went to Brazil that year, and arrived in Rio just three days after they had performed in front of some 120,000 people at the Maracana Stadium (which was their last concert with make-up!).

But then Revenge-era Kiss (without Ace & Peter) went to Buenos Aires in 1994 and I attended a spectacular concert at the River Plate stadium. I even met Paul Stanley on the street and shook hands with him! A few days later, I saw Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer (the drummer) walking down the streets toward the hotel, as I was getting in a bus to go to a concert with my choir. But Ace wasn't with Kiss then.

Kiss went back to BsAs in 1998 (or 1999, don't remember exactly), and this time they took the original lineup, so I got to see both Ace & Peter performing live. I was right in front of the stage, so I actually had Ace Frehley 'flying' right above me at one time. But it wasn't his finest performance at all...

Now, after a few years of seclusion, and claiming to be sober again, Ace Frehley is finally about to launch his first record since 1989's "Trouble Walkin'" and he's touring with his band. He's coming to Toronto on March 5th, and guess what? I got a ticket! Yeah! I'm as happy as a kid.